The business and culture of our digital lives, from the L.A. Times

New multi-touch gestures, Wi-Fi hotspot, among updates in iOS 4.3 for iPad, iPhone

January 13, 2011 | 1:39
pm

Apple rolled out its iOS 4.3 beta software development kit Thursday and already users are dissecting it and showing off new features.

A YouTube video posted by a user who has downloaded the iOS 4.3 SDK filmed some of the new multi-touch gestures for Apple's iPad, and the blog Apple Insider uncovered the inclusion of a Personal Hotspot feature for the iPhone.

The video, posted by a YouTube user calling himself flosweblog, shows a person using multiple fingers to swipe between documents depicting Apple's software suit iWork. The iWork apps Pages and Numbers are shown, along with the standard iPhone and iPad app Notes.

The person then places a finger-spread hand on the screen of the iPad, closes the fingers together, and the screen returns to the tablet's home screen.

Currently, the only way to get back to the home screen on an iPad is by using the home button. This feature is likely to add to the rumor that the next iPad, which many are calling the iPad 2, and the next iPhone won't have a home button.

A Personal Hotspot feature, which allows devices to broadcast a Wi-Fi signal to other smart phones and computers to surf the Internet, was included in iOS 4.3 SDK as well.

Verizon has promised that its iPhone, which arrive in stores next month, will offer a Personal Hotspot feature. AT&T iPhones currently do not offer such a feature, but the carrier has said it is considering such an option.